Sixto George's defense tracks informant in federal case

The defense of radio and television producer Sixto Díaz Colón, better known as Sixto George and who is facing charges of attempted extortion, requested that the Federal Prosecutor's Office inform him of the identity of the person who gave him the evidence as part of the discovery of evidence. Center for Investigative Journalism (CPI) the pages of the controversial Telegram chat involving then Governor Ricardo Rosselló and several officials and advisers to his administration.

Likewise, during a status hearing of the case, the defendant's lawyer, Rafael Castro Lang, also requested that he be given the notes that the agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) gave to his client at a time when they instructed him to call Raúl “Raulie” Maldonado Nieves by phone.

On July 26, 2019, FBI agents went to George's residence to execute a search warrant on his cell phone. That day "the government pressured my client to call Raulie Maldonado and during the conversation the agents gave him notes on what to ask and what to say to Maldonado and I asked for those notes," said the lawyer, who indicates that they constitute exculpatory evidence.

In turn, Castro Lang said he was "disappointed" with the appointment of evidence because he did not specify the evidence that the public ministry will present during the trial. “I understand that they have not been honest in the discovery of evidence. There are things that are not admissible. I object to the designation of evidence,” he noted.

He alleged that prosecutors emptied all the evidence into the evidence designation document, which is sealed to the public.

The prosecution defends

Meanwhile, US Attorney Mike Lang indicated that he provided the defense with three discovery packages on February 12, 26 and June 3. He added that on August 30 he was provided with a supplemental discovery containing a video clip that had already been provided to him on June 3.

Lang mentioned that he responded to Castro Lang's requests in writing. He anticipated that he will revisit the defense request.

Meanwhile, the federal magistrate Bruce McGiverin granted 30 days to the parties to meet and solve the problems with the discovery of evidence. In the event that there has not been a solution, the defense has 15 additional days to file a motion in this regard and request a date for a new status hearing of the case.

Federal judge Gustavo Gelpí, who presides over the case, has not yet set a trial date, it transpired at the hearing.

According to the indictment, George threatened and tried to extort the then Secretary of Public Affairs of La Fortaleza, Anthony Maceira, and then Governor Rosselló to stop the publication of a second chat in exchange for a payment of $300,000 and the resumption of two your contracts with government agencies.

According to the indictment, on February 1, 2019, “Person 1” (Maldonado Nieves), son of the then Secretary of the Treasury, Raúl Maldonado Gautier, contacted George to meet two days later. At that meeting, Maldonado Nieves told George that he had in his possession a copy of the Telegram messages that contained information about “Persona 3” (Rosselló).

The indictment indicates that Maldonado Nieves showed George the messages, but did not provide him with a copy of the chat, whose publication by the CPI triggered massive protests against Rosselló, who ended up resigning from his position.

The aforementioned chat reflected that Rosselló and his closest collaborators carried out partisan political work during working hours and using public resources. The group's exchanges - ranging from late 2018 to mid-January 2019 - also showed the manipulation of political polls to advance the public image of the then governor and his administration. In addition, it contained jokes of a sexual nature and misogynistic jokes, as well as jokes about journalists.